PROTOCOL AGREEMENT COMMENTS QUESTIONED

The Saskatchewan Coalition Against Racism (SCAR) is expressing extreme discomfort with comments attributed to the signatories of the protocol agreement between the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council (FHQTC) and the Regina Police Service (RPS). SCAR is, first of all, concerned that it has taken 12 years to “start this relationship” considering all of the justice issues that First Nation residents are faced with in Regina.

Relationships can be very positive, however they require honesty and “straight talk” to keep them strong and vibrant. It is clear from the comments of RPS Chief Troy Hagen, FHQTC Vice-Chair Elaine Chicoose, RTSIS Urban Manager Erica Beaudin that this relationship lacks the necessary honesty to be of any useful consequence for Regina’s First Nation residents. Both Chief Hagen and Chief Chicoose, in a Leader Post article, speak in glowing terms about the state of the relationship between their organizations. Complaints to SCAR from many of Regina’s First Nation residents reveal that the RPS relationship with grassroots First Nation residents is much less comfortable as that of their leadership. The inference that there has been no strain on this relationship since the 2004 disappearance of Tamra Keepness is simply shameful.

SCAR agrees with Ms Beaudin when she states that “everyone has the right to feel safe walking the streets of Regina”. However, as First Nation residents have come to realize, such safety will not be created through policing.